Draft-rigging for railway-cars.



1. F. OCONNOR.

DRAFT RleGING FoR RAILWAY CARS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. II, I9I4.

Patented July 27, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

INVENTOR. Jdkrbf f'rzlw f BY Hts ATTO NEY Mir@ JOI-IN F. OCONNOR, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM H. MINER, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 27,1915.

Application led April 11, 1914. Serial No. 831,287.

T0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN F. OCoNNoR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Draft-Rigging for Railway-Cars, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in draft rigging for railway cars.

The object of my invention is, to provide a draft rigging of efficient operation.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a central vertical longitudinal section of a draft rigging embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1 showing same in draft; Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 1;-Fig. i is a perspective view of one of the followers; Fig. 5 is a central vertical longitudinal section illustrating a modification of a structure shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the numerals 6-6 indicate draft members or parts of the car frame to which the draft rigging is applied; 7 a draw-bar; 8 a yoke; 9 a draft gear mounted within a yoke; and 10 a base plate.

The yoke 8 is preferably a channel-shaped member, substantially of an inverted U- shape in cross section, comprising the main web 11 and the dependent anges at either side 12-12. At its forward end the yoke S is provided with transverse slots 13-13 passing through the flanges 19.-12 adapted for the passage of the coupler key 14, which extends through the transverse slot 15 in the draw-bar 7. The slots 13-13 are sufiiciently longitudinally extended to permit rearward travel of the key therein on rearward movement of the draw-bar. rlhe key at its ends passes through slots 17 -17 in the draft members 6, the said slots 17 being sufficiently longitudinally extended to permit reciprocating movement of the key 14: therein. At its rear end the yoke S is provided with the transverse slots 18 passing through the flanges 12-12 thereof, and adapted for the passage of the rear key 19, which is extended at its ends through the slots S20- 2O in adjacent portions of the draft members 6. The slots E20- 20 are sufficiently extendin t-he draft yoke are also sufficiently' longitudinally extended to permit the rearward movement of the yoke in reference to the key 19 without bufiing strain upon the key.

The draft gearlcomprises a hollow cylinder'.

in form, and open at both ends, and containing the friction elements 22, consisting of a plurality of friction shoes a wedge 2l therefor, and anti-friction rollers 25, there being one interposed between each shoe and the adjacent wedging face of the wedge. It also comprises the spring elements QG seated at their forward ends against the friction elements, the said spring elements preferably comprising an outer spring 27 and anv inner spring 2S nested therein. The spring elements are seated at their rearends against the rear follower Q9, and the friction elements are seated at the forward ends against the front follower 30. The shell 21 is supported between the draft members f3. and is rigidly secured thereto, preferably b v means of longitudinally extending flanges 3 .-9,1 along the lower portion of the shell, said flanges being preferably integral with the shell, said flanges being secured to the plate 10 by any suitable means such as the rivets 32-32. The base plate 10 is preferably an inverted channel member. upon the flat upper face of which the shell is supported, the dependent fianges 33-33 thereof being Secured to the draft member (3 by suitable means, preferably the rivets 3%3-1 At its ends the shell il is provided with outwardly extended, preferably integral shoulders the said shoulders extending in preferable construction around substantially the upper half of the shell. The followers each comprise a vertical plate 3G provided with an inwardly extending hoodlike member 37 having at its inner end an iii-turned shoulder 3S. Each follower is adapted to receive the adjacent end of the shell wit-hin its hoodlike portion, and to reciprocate thereon, the outward movement of the follower in reference to the shell being limited by the engagement of the shoulder 38 upon the hoodlike portion of the follower against the co-acting shoulder 35 of the shell. The upper faces 39-39 of the followers conform in shape to the adjacent inner face of the yoke member 8. In the form of my invention illustrated in the drawings, the said faces 30 are substantially llat, to correspoml with the inner flat face of the web 11 of the yoke S. The hoodlike portion of each follower does not, in preferable construction surround the entire end of the shell, but is extended substantially about the upper half thereof. The said followers are prevented from upward disengagement from the shell by reason of their engagement against the web 11 of the yoke member S. r1`he rear foilower is preferably provided with a rearwardly extending flange l0 having a transverse groove 11 therein within which is received the forward edge of the rear key lll. It will be observed that the yoke is held against upward movement by the keys ,14 and 1l) passing through their appropriate slots in the draft members (3.

()n forward movement of the draw-bar, the voke is drawn forwardly b v means of the coupler key 1i engaging the forward ends of the slots lI--liin the yoke` thus drawing forwardly the rear key 19, which in this movement engages against the rear ends of the slots 18-18 in the yoke, the forward movement of the rear key l?) forwardly actuating the rear follower 29, compressing the spring elements against the friction elements, the friction elements being held in a substantially stationary position in reference to the shell. 21 by the front follower 30. which in turn ishcld against forward movement throughothe engagement of its hoodlike member against the forward shoulder 35 of the shell 21. Thus in forward movement of the drawbar, the spring elements alone are employed as cushioning members.

()n rearward movement of the draw-bar, the kev 14 slides within the slots 13 in the forward end of the draft yoke, the drawbar forces the front follower 30 rearwardly. bringing into action the friction elements and spring elements within the shell 21, the said elements being rearwardly held by the rear follower 29, which in turn is held against rearward movement by the engage ment of the hoodlike portion of the rear follower with the rear shoulder 35 of the shell.

1n the modification illustrated in Fig. 5 of thc drawings, the same principle is employed as in the embodiment of my invention just described, the modification. however, illustrating a structure employing friction elements at both ends of the shell. with spring elements interposed. instead of friction elements at one end and springs at the other end within the shell.

Referring to Fig. 5 of the drawings, the numeral' 50 indicates one of the draft members to which the draft rigging is applied: 51 the draw-bar: 52 the yoke, which is of an inverted U-shape in cross section; 53 the draft gear. consisting of the shell 54, which is preferably a hollow cylinder open at both ends and containing at its forward end the friction elements 55, at its rearward end the friction elements 5G, and the spring elements 57 seated between the friction elements within the shell. Preferably the fric tion elements 55 and 5G are of identical construction, each comprising a plurality of friction shoes 5S, a wedge 59 for spreading said shoes. and an anti-friction roller (3U interposed between cach shoe and the adjacent wedging face of the wedge 5l). The spring elements 57 preferably comprise an outer spring lll seated at its ends against the friction shoes. and an inner spring (S2 similarly seated. The front follower isindicatcd by the numeral 63, and the rear follower by the numeral G4. Each of the followers engages the adjacent friction ele ments. and each is provided with an inwardly extended hoodlike member (35, within which the adjacent end of the shell is received. each hoodlike member being pro vided with an iii-turned shoulder (36 coacting with an out-turned shoulder 67 with which each end of the shell is provided.- the said shoulder (37 being preferably integral with the shell, and extending about substantially the upper half thereof. Similarly, the iii-turned shoulders of the hoods of the followers extend about substantially one-half the end of the shell. The shell is rigidly secured to. the draft members, preferably by means of flanges 7() with which the shell at its lower portion is provided. and a base plate 71 to which said flanges are secured. preferably by means of the rivets 72. said base. plate being secured to the draft members by suitable means, preferably the rivets 73*7f'3. At its forward end, the yoke is provided with transverse slots 74 to receive the coupler key 75. the said slots being longitiuilinally extended to permit the free movement of the key therein on rearward movement of the draw-bar, and at its rear end the draft yoke is provided with transverse slots 76 for the passage of the rear key 77, the rear key engaging against the rear face of the rear follower G4.

On forward movement of the draw-bar, the yoke is drawn forwardly, thus forwardly actuating the rear follower, which compresses the rear friction elements and the springs against the front friction elements which are not in this movement in frictional action, the front frictional elements being held against forward movement by the, front follower, the front follower being held against forward movement through the engagement of its hood with the front shoulder of the shell.

On rearward movement of the draw-bar, the front follower is forced rearwardly by the draw-bar compressing the springs and bringing the front friction elements into action, the springs being held against rearward movement by the rear friction elements, which are not in frictional action, the rear friction elements being held in substantially stationary position by the rear follower, which is prevented from moving rearwardly through the engagement of its hood with the rear shoulder of the shell.

1. In a draft rigging for railway cars, in combination, draft members, a shell rigidly secured thereto, compression resisting elements within the shell, a draw-bar, a draft yoke, followers connected with the compression resisting elements in the shell, the followers having hoodlike members overlapping the ends of the shell, the hoodlike members being provided with in-turned shoulders, the shell being provided with outturned co-acting shoulders, the yoke engaging against the followers to prevent the disengagement of the followers from the shell.

2. In a draft rigging for railway cars, the combination with draft members and a shell for the compression resisting elements, of means for rigidly securing the shell to the draft members, said means comprising a base plate secured to the draft members and rigidly engaged to the shell.

3. In a draft rigging for railway cars, the combination with draft members and a shell for the compression resisting elements, of means for rigidly securing the shellato the draft members, said means comprising an inverted channel base member secured to the draft members, and flanges connected to the shell, said flanges being rigidly secured to the base member.

4. In a draft rigging for railway cars, in combination, draft members, a draw-bar, draft gear, and a draft yoke for connecting the draft gear to the draw-bar, the draft yoke including an inverted U-shaped member straddling the draft gear.

5. In a draft rigging for railway cars, in combination, draft members, a stationary shell mounted between the draft members, friction elements extending from one end of the shell, and spring elements associated therewith extending from the other end ofH the shell, a follower for either end of the shell, the followers being provided with means engaging the shell to limit the outward movement of the followers, one follower compressing the spring elements against the friction elements upon its inward movement, the other follower compressing the friction element and spring elements against the first mentioned follower upon inward movement.

6. A yoke for railway draft riggings comprising an elongated member of substantially U-shape in cross section, said member extending rearwardly of the draft rigging and adapted to straddle a draft gear.

7 In a draft rigging for railway cars, the combination with a shell having compression resisting elements therewithin, of a follower at one end of said shell, the follower and shell being provided with integral means to prevent longitudinal separation thereof and the follower being slipped over the shell from a position above the latter, a yoke, longitudinally slidably mounted relatively to the shell, and means for preventing said yoke from moving up and down, said yoke engaging said follower and also preventing the latter from moving upwardly and becoming displaced relatively to the shell.

JOHN F. OCONNOR.

Witnesses:

RAY T. BRUCE, CARRIE G. RANz.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

